Exceeding Dawn
by J3SST3R
Summary: With the wedding fast approaching, Alice goes nuts as Bella wonders why she’s even attempting to help. When some unexpected guests show up at the wedding, everything gets turned around.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing _Twilight _related except what my mind makes up. Thanks to Stephanie Meyer for letting me play with her characters!

Also, a HUGE thanks to Julie, my beta and best friend.

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It had been two days since Edward and I had told Charlie that we were getting married but you would have guessed months had passed by the look of the room that we were in. Scraps of paper and bridal magazines littered Alice and Jasper's room.

"I'm sorry we brought this upon you Jasper" I muttered under my breath knowing full well that everyone in the Cullen's house could hear me.

I looked up just in time to see Edward snatch a magazine out of the air, inches from my face. Alice had expertly aimed it after my comment to Jasper.

A low growl escaped Edward's mouth.

"Calm down Edward, I knew it wasn't going to hit her." Alice replied smartly.

"That doesn't make it right Alice." Edward replied wearily.

Alice stuck her tongue out at him before turning back to me.

"Sorry Bella." She said in a tone and with a glance at Edward that told me she was anything but.

Edward just rolled his eyes.

"Where was I before I was so _rudely_ interrupted?" Alice said, ignoring Edward.

"I believe we were at the honeymoon…" I stated with a coy smile to Edward.

I got butterflies at the thought. I was going through with Edward's side of the deal, this torture, and at the honeymoon, he was going to go through with mine. Or at least attempt to.

"Nice try Bella." She shot in. "We were at the flowers. So I was thinking…"

I let my mind wander. I trusted Alice and if I knew her at all, this wedding was going to be amazing. Way over the top maybe, but amazing none-the-less. And trust me, I knew Alice. Well.

The only reason that I was even in here and not just letting Alice do it all herself was that Edward thought that it would be nice to have at least some say in our wedding. I told him 'fat chance' but he said that the least that we could do was listen to Alice's ideas and pick from the choices that she gave us. After he dazzled me (which was getting old because I couldn't refuse it, and I hoped would stop when I was a vampire) I told him that I would do as he wished but that he owed me big. He thought that was funny. I didn't.

My mind wandered back to two days ago when we told our families of our plans to get married.

As we pulled up to Charlie's house, my heart began racing. Edward kept asking me what was wrong. I couldn't answer. All of the sudden the ring felt very heavy on my hand. I didn't remember it being that heavy when Edward put it on me…

We sat outside of Charlie's house for a few moments until I was under control, and then we went inside.

Charlie was watching a game when we walked in and didn't even turn around as we entered the house.

"There are leftovers in the fridge if you want some Bells." He called out to me.

"I-I-I'm fine, thanks Dad."

He could sense the uneasiness in my voice and turned around.

Edward put his hand on the small of my back and steered me into the living room. I felt like my left hand had one of those big, neon, flashing arrows pointing to my finger. Charlie could tell that something was definitely up and turned off the T.V., looking at us suspiciously.

"Edward, Bella, what's up?" Charlie asked; worry starting to creep into his voice.

After a moment of silence, I realized that they were both looking at me to answer.

I started panicking and looked at Edward for support.

With a smile, he took a breath and began.

"Charlie, we came here today to bring you some good news." He paused and looked at me, clearly wanting me to be the one to say it.

"We're getting married." I stated a little too loudly for how close we all were sitting in the now slightly cramped living room.

Charlie's face went white. Not pale, white. I looked at Edward in concern.

"Just give him a minute to digest it all, he'll be fine." Edward answered my look only loud enough for me to hear.

Without saying a word, Charlie got up, went to the garage and came back with his shotgun. I was stunned when he turned it on Edward.

"GET. OUT!" He bellowed.

"DAD! PUT THAT DOWN BEFORE YOU HURT SOMEONE!" I screamed back at him.

Edward just sat calmly on the couch, clearly trying to keep the amusement off his face.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" I screamed as I leapt up and ran over to try and take the shotgun from Charlie.

He let it go without a fight.

When I got back from the garage after safely putting the gun away (luckily Charlie hadn't loaded it because, while Edward would survive a gunshot wound, it would be hard to explain), I found Charlie slumped on the couch crying silently. I looked at Edward in confusion as to why Charlie was crying but was even more taken-aback by the upset look on Edward's face.

"_What is going on here?"_ I asked, exasperated.

When Edward didn't answer me I asked Charlie what in the world had possessed him to point a gun at my fiancé.

"He got you pregnant." Was all Charlie could muster.

Suddenly in that moment it all clicked.

"I'm not pregnant Charlie!" I exclaimed. "I mean Dad." I amended after a moment.

After another moment, his crying stopped.

"You're not?" He asked.

The way he asked that reminded me of a child after they learn that they're not getting in trouble.

"No, I'm not." I answered as I walked over to help him up.

"Then why in the world—"

"Because we love each other Dad, _that's_ why." I said, slightly annoyed that the first thing his mind jumped to was that I was pregnant.

"And even if I were, what good would it do to kill your grandchild's father, huh Dad?'

"I guess you have a point there, Bells." He said defeated.

Edward still looked upset.

"I wish it were true though." Edward said only loud enough for me to hear.

I shot him a look and he changed the subject.

"I know this is a little out of order Charlie, but I wanted to get your blessing before we go and tell my family." Edward said, doing his best, for my sake, to act happy again.

"Blessing…you want my…blessing…blessing…yes…yes, you can have my blessing but—I'm not going to be the one to tell your mother!" Charlie answered, his spirits clearly lifted at the prospect of me having to tell my marriage-fearing mother about our plans.

After another half an hour or so of light conversation, Edward thanked him again for his blessing and they shook hands, Charlie clearly feeling better now that he was assured that I wasn't pregnant.

Soon, we were off to his house to tell the rest of the family. As soon as we were in the car, Edward handed me his cell phone and we sat out in the car while I called Renee.

After the sixth ring, she picked up.

My voice was shaky as I told her the news.

Nobody would have guessed her reaction. Not in a million years.

"Well, it's about time! I was starting to think that you two had gotten married and I hadn't been invited!" Renee answered, clearly relieved that this wasn't the case.

"Wha—Mom?" I questioned.

"…Yes?" She answered after a pause.

"Umm…Did you hear me correctly? I'm getting…married." I answered, confused yet again.

"Well of course you are sweetie. I knew that you two were the moment I saw you together. You make each other so happy and you two are so in love." Renee cooed into the phone.

"But…but…but I'm, I mean, we're so young!" I replied, remembering that everyone else thought Edward to be my age as well.

"Yes but I've always said that you were an old soul. You're just lucky to have found another one at such a young age. Honey, you aren't me. You aren't making the same mistakes I did. You will make your own but this isn't one of them, I'm sure of that. Call me when you have set a date! I love you sweetie." And with that, the conversation was over.

I hung up the phone, still confused at what had just happened.

Edward took my hand as he started driving to his house.

"That went well." He commented, looking sideways at me.

All of the sudden, a smile shot across my face.

"Charlie is going to be piiiissed!" I sang out, dissolving into a fit of giggles.

Telling the Cullen's our good news was very uneventful. As soon as we pulled up to the house Alice had me out of the car and into a rib-cracking hug.

"Be careful Alice, she is still human after all." Edward chuckled.

"Oh I know that!" Alice spit at him. "Bella, I have SO many great ideas! Your wedding is going to be so beautiful, I've seen it!" She said excitedly.

"It's my wedding too, you know." Edward said, putting a pout on for good show.

Alice shot him a death-glare as I asked her, "If you've seen it, why do you have ideas if you already know what it's going to look like?"

Alice laughed, amused by my question. "Ways to improve on it Bella, of course!"

Edward was full out laughing by now. Someone in the house cleared their throat, Carlisle I think.

"Alice, did you tell everyone or do we get to do that?" Edward asked, already knowing the answer.

A sheepish grin crossed Alice's face.

"What?" She asked, "I was just so excited!"

Everyone gathered around us as we entered the house. Edward and I were passed from cold body to cold body as we got hugs and congratulations from everyone.

When I got a moment to breathe, I noticed that Rosalie wasn't there.

Edward must have noticed that I had noticed her absence. Where was she?

"She'll come around love, just give her some time." He answered my silent question.

At that precise moment, I caught Alice out of the corner of my eye. Turning to look, I saw her dancing around the room and was momentarily caught off guard by how graceful she was.

"I want to be like _that_ when I'm a vampire." I stated in awe.

Everyone around me started to laugh.

Just then, another magazine flew by my head, missing by about six inches. This reminded me where I was and what I was supposed to be doing.

"Earth to Bella, are you there?" Alice asked, annoyed.

Another snarl escaped Edward's lips as he said "Alice, I'm going to have to ask you one last time to not throw things at my fiancé or we will have to leave."

Alice just ignored him and asked me what I thought about what she had just said.

I had missed it all.

"Can you repeat that?" I asked through a yawn.

"I think we've had enough for today, Alice. Bella needs some sleep." Edward said. We were both relieved to be done.

All that we had been doing for the last two days was going over details for the wedding. We had decided to have the wedding in three weeks which wasn't a lot of time to plan and we still had a lot to do.

I had decided that I wanted Alice to be my maid of honor and Edward wanted Carlisle to be his best man. I thought this very fitting and also touching seeing as Edward had so much love and respect for Carlisle. Edward had also told me that since he viewed Carlisle as his father, he could see no one more fitting for the role.

The one thing that Edward had insisted on that I wasn't so sure about was that Emmet officiate our wedding. I wasn't sure if he could handle it without cracking immature jokes or embarrassing me in front of everyone. Edward assured me that Emmet would behave.

The three things that I insisted on were that the wedding be small, be, with the permission of Esme and Carlisle (who were thrilled) at the Cullen's house in Forks, and that the ceremony be held at twilight. Alice wasn't thrilled with my limitations but when I told her that she had to work within them or I would find someone who could, she figured out how to cope.

Edward nodded at something that Alice had just thought and before I could ask what was going on, Edward had me in his arms and up to his room.

"Am I not going home?" I asked, secretly elated at the thought of getting to spend the night here with Edward.

"Alice is calling Charlie right now with some wedding emergency and a dress fitting early in the morning that is going to have to keep you here tonight." He chuckled.

"Dress fitting, huh? Does he not know that Esme is making my dress?" I asked, anticipation and desire rising in me.

"I guess not." Edward replied.

We looked into each other's eyes for a long time, watching the lust and passion grow. Suddenly, Edward jumped up and I lost him to the black of his room.

When I could stand it no longer, I whispered quietly out into the room, "Kiss me."

And he was there.

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A/N

Hey guys, thanks for reading! This is my first story so your thoughts would help, good or bad. They'll help me figure out which way this story is going. I'll post again soon.

Thanks! =)


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer- **I still own nothing except my own thoughts on these characters. Big thanks to S.M. for letting me play with them!

Also, my beta is sick but I wanted to get this out to you all so please bare with me, I'll get the beta approved version up in a few days tops along with the next chapter. Thanks for understanding.

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I smiled as the sun hit my face in the morning. It surprised me that the sun was up today. If Edward hadn't been laying with me, I would have been hot. As is, I was perfectly comfortable. He stroked my hair, knowing that I was awake even though I hadn't moved yet.

"Good morning, my love." He whispered quietly in my ear.

His cold, sweet breath on my skin made me shiver.

He tried to move away from me, thinking that it was his body that had made me cold.

"Noooo!" I groaned sleepily, turning to face him.

As soon as I turned toward him, my breath caught in my throat. I still hadn't gotten used to the sight of him in the sun. Not only was his skin radiant, but it reflected off of the big window behind him back at me. I wondered idly if I would ever really get used it.

"Breathe Bella!" Edward said laughing.

I sucked in a deep breath of air, shaking the lightheaded feeling away.

"Maybe in a hundred years." I said quietly to myself.

"Hmm?" Edward asked, obviously confused.

"Nothing." I sighed, smiling.

"That's really _really_ frustrating, you know that, right?" Edward said in mock frustration.

I smiled. I was glad that Edward couldn't read my mind. I secretly worried that he wouldn't find me as interesting or love me as much if he knew everything about me and could read my thoughts as I thought them. Plus, I enjoyed teasing him a little.

"Yeah, maybe." I said sleepily.

I drifted in and out of consciousness for the next hour or so.

"Love?" Edward whispered in my ear, not able to hide his annoyance at something I didn't yet know.

"hhuhmmm?" I responded.

"If you want a human moment, you're going to want to take it now because the unstoppable wedding force is on her way." Edward said through gritted teeth, annoyance creeping into his eyes.

I couldn't stand to see it there.

"Sorry about my morning breath." I said as I leaned into him, wanting a kiss.

He knew what I wanted and responded in kind.

His lips crushed into mine as I melted into him. I let out a low groan, never wanting this moment to end.

"Bella-" He tried to interject between kisses.

"Shhh." I sighed into his mouth, knowing it was feeble. He was done and that was that. Stupid limits.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"GO AWAY ALICE." I growled toward the door.

"No time." She sang, still standing out in the hall.

I kissed Edward, more urgently this time. He matched me with the same intensity, the passion and electricity building between us.

"I see where this is going and you two should stooooop." Alice sang through the door again.

I ignored her and crawled on top of Edward. He let out a low moan.

"Get up and get ready Bella, we have a lot to do!" Alice spat at us, now clearly annoyed.

I sighed. Nothing was going to happen at this rate. Any minute now Alice would come storming through the door, breaking the lock. She may look small, but that Pixie had a mean bite when provoked!

With a sigh and one last quick kiss, I got off the bed.

Edward looked as disappointed as I felt.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I grumbled as I stumbled to the door, my mind still fuzzy from the kiss.

I felt Edward walk up behind me and slip his hands around my waist as I reached for the door.

"What do you want?" I asked Alice as I swung open the door, a little more forcibly then I intended to.

Edward chuckled behind me, trying to hide his face in my hair.

Alice shot him a nasty look as she replied curtly, "To plan your wedding. But if you'd rather get married in _that_-" She was referring to my torn sweats and t-shirt, "-I'm sure that could be arranged. You just keep being smart with me."

I paused, considering it.

"Like you could put this wedding down even if you wanted to Alice." I said with a smirk. "Admit it, you're addicted."

A smile lit up her face.

"You're right." She said as she turned to head back downstairs.

"I'll see you in my room in fifteen minutes." She turned around to say, still walking.

I wondered how she could walk down the stairs backwards.

"I am TOTALLY looking forward to being able to do that!" I exclaimed.

"Hopefully." I added as an afterthought, slightly worried that my clumsy nature would follow me into this life.

Alice let out a tinkle-esque laughed as she turned around again.

"Fourteen minutes!" She called up the stairs as she heard me turn around to kiss Edward again.

"Oooh, if she wasn't so darn cute…" I sighed, only half-heartedly wishing harm on Alice.

"She'd see it coming anyways." Edward said with a laugh.

"True." Was all I could manage before his lips found mine again.

After a moment, he pulled away. It was a good thing too; I was in danger of passing out.

"Breathe Bella." He chuckled again, his hands still cupping my face after our kiss. "Then take your human moment. I'll go make you some breakfast." He smiled.

I watched him as he turned to leave, loving the way he looked walking down the stairs.

I sighed, turning to go into the bathroom.

We had decided that since the vampires don't really need the bathroom all that often and that I was over here so much, it would easier to just leave my overnight bag in Edward's suite. He had also gotten me a spare toothbrush and toothpaste to keep in his bathroom. It was this that I was after at the moment.

I walked into the bathroom, grabbing the green toothbrush, thankful that Edward had thought about getting this for me a few weeks ago. Hopefully I wouldn't need it soon but that was a different story completely.

I looked at myself in the mirror as I brushed my teeth, minty foam spilling from my mouth.

I spat and rinsed into the sink, putting my toothbrush back in the holder and wiping my mouth off on the fluffy towel that someone, probably Esme, had put in there for me. I suddenly felt a deep wave of love and gratitude for my almost new family. They put so much effort in to make me feel comfortable and at home here.

I smiled as I looked up at myself in the mirror again.

"Seven minutes!" I faintly heard Alice calling up to me.

Crap. That wasn't enough time to take a shower.

I slipped into Edward's room and changed into a pair of jeans, grabbing one of the sweatshirts out of his hamper. I took a deep breath of Edward's smell which still clung to its fabric. I threw it on, not bothering to put a shirt on underneath it.

I grabbed my brush and a hair band out of my bag and ran to the bathroom again as Alice called up to me, "Two minutes!"

"Alice, she'll be down here when she's done." I heard Edward say in my defense.

I smiled. I loved that he stood up for me, even if it was only to give me an extra human moment.

I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror again.

"I hope I am beautiful after the change." I said to nobody in particular as I ran the brush through my hair.

I tried to style it a little bit but when I heard Alice call my name as she made her way up to see what was taking me so long, I gave up and pulled it into a messy ponytail and ran out of the bathroom.

"I'm coming Alice!" I yelled down to her, running down the stairs.

She was still grumbling as I tripped into her room.

Edward walked in a few moments later with a plate full of food.

"That smells wonderful!" I said to Edward appreciatively.

He smiled as he handed me the plate of eggs, bacon, and toast, a glass of orange juice still in his hand.

"You look amazing Bella." He said, his smoldering eyes making contact with mine. I got lost in them as we stared at each other, longing to be alone again.

"Ahem." Alice cleared her throat, calling the attention back to what she was saying before Edward walked in.

"Esme wants to take measurements sometime later today, Bella, so that she can get started on your dress." She looked at Edward, adding, "that means that you're going to have to go away for a while so that you don't get a peak at what we're thinking. It has to be a surprise when the day comes."

I had inhaled half of my plate by the time that she had finished saying this. Fear and dread started to consume me.

"Slow down Bella, you don't want to choke." Edward said, flashing me that half-smile that I loved so much.

I couldn't look at him.

I spent the next hour pushing the rest of the food around my plate, not really paying attention to what Alice was saying. When she would pause, I would just nod my head or say 'yeah'. Edward could tell that something was up. He kept trying to catch my eye but I pointedly looked everywhere but at him.

After about an hour and a half of that, Edward told Alice that we needed a break. When she opened her mouth to protest, Edward told her that she didn't have a say in this. She looked crestfallen but didn't put up a fight.

She kept working as we left the room. As soon as he shut the floor, Edward turned to me. I looked up and finally met his eyes. Worry was etched on his face.

"What's wrong Bella?" He said in barely a whisper. "Please don't leave me out. I can't take it any longer."

I just looked at him, ashamed that I was so upset over something so little.

He grabbed my hand and gently pulled me up to his room.

We entered the room and he sat down on the couch, pulling me down next to him.

"Bella…" He said anxiously.

"I just…" I started, already feeling silly.

"I just don't want you to leave me today Edward." I finished, looking down again.

He grabbed my face and gently moved it to his. Before I could register what was going on, his lips were on mine, eager for my kiss. I wanted him. I needed him. I threw myself into it, my hands finding their favorite place, wrapped up in his hair. His hands moved down my back, resting at my hips. My tongue slowly traced the outline of his lips, willing them to part for me, needing to feel his tongue on mine. He didn't make me wait long. We both let out a small groan as out tongues met, tentative at first. I could feel my control slipping as I pulled myself closer to him, my fingers knotting in his hair. Our tongues started to wrestle as he pulled me onto his lap. My back arched slightly and he let out a low moan.

Then it was over. I was sitting on the couch again and he was across the room, his dark eyes staring at me, still filled with the same desire I was sure he saw in mine.

"Don't do that to me Bella." Edward whispered. "Not yet."

"It's not that far away Edward..." I said, desperately.

"Bella…not now." He pleaded. "I'm not strong enough to resist you anymore right now."

A tear slipped down my cheek.

Edward looked like he was torn.

He came over to me cautiously, not sure if I was going to try and throw myself at him. I still wasn't sure if I was going to or not either.

Tentatively, he reached out and brushed the tear away.

"Where is this coming from Bella?" Edward asked, the desire still clear in his face.

"I just…" I started thinking out loud again.

"I don't want to lose you. I don't want to be away from you. Soon, you're going to be all I have left." I sniffed.

"You and your family." I amended.

Edward looked pained as I said this.

"And that's fine!" I insisted, "It's just…It makes it harder when I have to be away from you. I want you. And I love you. So much it hurts sometimes." I looked down at my hands, folded responsibly in my lap.

The slightest of smiles played out on Edward's face as I looked up at him again.

"Like now." I sighed, looking into his eyes once again, the need still very apparent in both of us.

"I love you Bella." Edward said, kissing me lightly above my right eyebrow.

We sat on the couch for quite some time, just looking at each other, Edward rubbing small circles into my hands.

"Alice wants to do the dress fitting now." Edward said quietly, annoyance hinted on his face.

"Just promise you won't go far." I replied.

"I won't, I promise." Edward said, brushing a lock of hair that had fallen out of my ponytail back behind my ear.

"I'm just going to go hunting a little bit around the house. I'll be back as soon you call me and tell me that they're done with you." He finished, standing up slowly.

I looked up at his tall frame, standing well above me. I didn't want to get up, to leave. Or more appropriately, I didn't want to turn myself over to the wedding whirlwind on legs.

I sighed, resigning myself to the fact that I was going to have to do it sooner or later and that the sooner I got it over with, the sooner I could see Edward again.

Edward pulled me up into his arms, holding me tight for a moment, running his hands lightly over my back.

"It'll be over before you know it love." Edward whispered to me. "Just think about this-" And then he kissed me.

The kiss wasn't as urgent as before but it was deeper; more passionate. His hands were still running up and down my back as his lips lightly parted mine and he slipped his tongue into my mouth.

He pulled away after a moment, smiling again.

"That'll work." I sighed, smiling as well. "I think I'm ready now."

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A/N-

So, another chapter. I hope it wasn't too bad, my amazing beta helps me hammer things out and get the chapters up to notch. We'll get together soon and get this back up. Until then, any suggestions? Anything I need to add/remove/change? This is your chance to really impact the story before I get into the next chapter! Anything you want to see happen? Any really bad and obvious spelling or grammar problems? Let me know! I want to hear your thoughts. You're my Bella. Yes, you. =)


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer-** I still don't own anything _Twilight_ related. If that changes any time soon, I'll be sure to tell you. =)

Also, a huge thanks to Julie, who is my wonderful beta, for looking at this even though she is sick! You're awesome.

Enjoy.

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"_It'll be over before you know it love." Edward whispered to me. "Just think about this-" And then he kissed me._

_The kiss wasn't as urgent as before but it was deeper; more passionate. His hands were still running up and down my back as his lips lightly parted mine and he slipped his tongue into my mouth. _

_He pulled away after a moment, smiling again._

"_That'll work." I sighed, smiling as well. "I think I'm ready now."_

_-------------_

I wished that I hadn't said that as we walked slowly down the stairs, not able to shake the feeling that I was walking to my death. And not the kind I would wake up from.

Alice was waiting at the bottom of the stairs with Esme, both with a smile on their faces.

"Thank you." Alice said curtly, apparently still annoyed at Edward for making her let them take a break.

"We won't keep her long Edward." Esme said warmly, "Promise."

Edward turned to me. I stood on my tippy toes and he steadied me as I threatened to fall over. He leaned down slightly and put his forehead against mine.

"I won't be far. Just call for me when it's over." He said quietly.

"I will. Trust me."

Alice scoffed behind me.

"I love you Bella." Edward said, and then he was off.

"This will be quite easy and painless Bella, you have nothing to worry about." Esme said with a smile, trying to comfort me. "Edward will be back soon."

I found comfort in those words, just as she knew I would.

I followed Alice and Esme into the living room where a large pedestal was set up in front of the window. Alice instructed me to stand on it while Esme got the measuring tape.

They started telling me about their ideas as they took measurements, not needing to write them down because they had perfect memory and recollection. Why Alice was so adamant about Edward not having any idea about what my dress was going to look like, as well as the reason that Esme was making it herself, was because it was going to be styled circa 1918, the year Edward was turned. I had loved this idea, especially because I had his mother's ring already.

Esme and Alice had done a lot of research into this and it seemed like they had a very good idea of what they wanted. I've never much been one to be able to visualize things like this but I really liked the sound of the square neckline and the lace, specifically on the train. From what I could tell, it sounded absolutely stunning. Edward was going to love it and that was all that mattered to me, even if I was scared senseless that I was going to trip and fall over the train part. It had already been decided that I would wear white, silk, ballet flats but I was still worried.

Soon, it was over. When Alice and Esme assured me that they had locked the images of the dress safely away from Edward's prying talent, I called him back to the house.

As soon as I saw him appear on the other side of the river, I ran outside to meet him.

I watched in awe as he easily and gracefully cleared the river, coming to a soft landing in front of me.

I jumped into his arms, giving him a big, tight hug as he held me, rocking gently back and forth.

I don't know how long we stood like that but suddenly my stomach gave a loud gargle and I realized that I was starving. Sometime during the time when we were standing there it had begun to get dark out. Neither of us had realized that until now.

"You must be freezing!" Edward exclaimed as he realized where we were once again.

"A little." I answered sheepishly. "I'm more hungry though."

"We can get you something on the way home; Charlie is going to be worried." Edward answered my stomach as it growled again.

"I'm so sorry Bella." Edward said as soon as we'd said our goodbyes in the house and gotten into the Volvo.

My stomach wouldn't shut up even though I wished it would with all my might.

"For what Edward?" I asked, slightly annoyed with him.

"For neglecting your needs. That was very irresponsible of me." He said, staring straight ahead.

From the way that he was sitting and concentrating on the road, I could tell that he was very upset with himself.

I was appalled, to say the least.

"I am not your pet!" I exclaimed loudly, my voice reverberating around the small cab.

Edward looked at me, shock the dominant emotion on his face.

"Wha-" He started.

"I'm not finished!" I said, still too loudly for the space.

Edward looked back at the road, waiting for me to continue.

I took a calming breath before continuing on.

"If you forget to feed a pet, that is irresponsible. If you neglect to let it sleep or to give it proper time and space to exercise, that's irresponsible. That is neglecting its needs."

Edward still looked shocked, only confusion was starting to take its place.

"You do an amazing job at letting me have my human moments and reminding me to breathe. You are an amazing cook and make me food regularly when I want it. You stay with me when I sleep, which I can only assume is boring most of the time but you do it anyway, because I can't stand to be without you and I want you there."

He still looked confused.

"Edward, for the moment, I am human. I do all of these things all of the time. If I am not eating, it's not because you forgot to feed me and neglected to give me what I needed. Pets don't eat when you don't feed them. I, on the other hand, am perfectly capable of getting food without you or your help, even though, if given the choice, I would choose your company any day."

He started to see where I was coming from at this point. He opened his mouth to say something.

"Please let me finish, Edward." I asked, looking at him.

He closed his mouth and nodded slowly.

"I know that you don't think of me as a pet and that you like doing these things for me but it makes me feel helpless when you say things like that. It makes me feel like I can't do anything without you. And to a point, that is true. I really can't function with you gone." I paused. "We found that out the hard way." We both shuddered at the memory of those dark times we had when we were separated.

I plowed on, worried about how all of this was going to come off to him. "It just makes me feel like my humanity is some huge burden that you've taken upon yourself, which, in a way you have, but I also feel like when you fail in your eyes at some responsibility that you've deemed you need to take, it eats at you and eats at you and I don't want that! I don't want to be the cause of that! Especially because, at any time during the day, I could have gotten up and gone into the kitchen and made myself a sandwich." I paused, trying to bring my frustrated train of thought back to the point.

"I am hungry now because I chose not to eat, not because you didn't feed me. I brought this upon myself. It was my choice, not your lack of responsibility, that got me here." I finished with a sideways glance at Edward, wondering if he got any of that.

After a long moment, when Edward still hadn't said anything, I asked tentatively, "Did any of that make sense?"

I looked down at my hands, clasped in my lap.

After another moment, Edward grabbed one of my hands out of my lap. I looked up at him. He was looking at me, smiling.

"I don't think I've heard you talk that much in a long time." He said.

I blushed.

"I think I got your meaning out of all of that Bella." He said, pausing to take a breath and gather his thoughts. "It's just that…"

He paused again.

I watched him expectantly.

"I want everything to be taken care of for you because I love you. I want every need to be met before you even realize that you have it. I want your life to be easy and carefree. That's why I'm here. That's what I was born to do. To love you."

He looked at me before starting up again.

"When things like this happen, I feel like I've kept you wrapped up, literally tonight, in my selfish wants and not allowed you to make that choice of whether to go eat or not." He finished with a slight shrug, taking another breath.

"Edward," I said with a light laugh. "If I didn't want to be there, or if my hunger overpowered my want to be there, we both know that I would have gone and eaten. As it were, that wasn't case. And I doubt it ever will. Besides, soon, we'll be able to both be active participants in meals." I said, full out laughing.

Edward started laughing next to me, keeping his eyes on the road.

"I think that what we can learn from this is that you need to realize that me being hungry or tired or whatever else the case may be, is not a shortcoming on your part in any way and that I'm in that situation because of choices that I made to be with you because I love you-" I said.

"-And you can learn that you shouldn't wait so long to eat or sleep or whatever it is." Edward said with an ear splitting smile.

"-And I will make sure to keep a better check on my body and not let my human needs get so out of control." I said, smiling back.

We drove in silence for a little ways, each wrapped up in our own thoughts.

"Or you could just change me now and we wouldn't have to worry about his anymore…" I suggested.

He looked at me, his smile fading infinitesimally.

"Let's get you something to eat." He said, giving my hand a slight squeeze as he turned into the only diner in town.

* * *

A/N-

Sorry that this chapter is a little bit shorter but I felt like there was a lot that happened and I didn't want to add anything else in after that scuffle that they had, so I didn't.

As school starts to pick up again (it's the end of the semester so we have a break) I'm only going to be able to post a chapter every few days to a week, just a warning for when I slow down. I'm not forgetting about this, I'm just crunched for time with homework and everything. BUT! Right now, that's not the case. So I'll keep them up at the pace I write them, about one a night, then beta the next day, and up by that evening.

I would like to thank everyone for reading. I am still shocked to see how many of you are reading, have come back for the last chapter, and have added me to your alerts etc. Now I just have one request from all of you, my fabulous readers: review! It doesn't have to be long but I can tell already, reviews are going to be one of the big things that keep me going. They just let me know that you like (or don't like) the direction that I'm taking things.

Of course, I wouldn't complain at longer reviews giving me more indepth advice/ideas/questions. ;)

You know what to. Click that button, right there. It'll only take a second. =)

-Jessica

P.S.- Again, you guys are awesome. Thank you!


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